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from Christ, and having received power from him, by whom all things were created, who hath all power in heaven and earth given to him, who is the wisdom of God, we have received wisdom and power from him; by which the Lord doth give us to know how to use and order the creatures to the glory of him who is the Creator of all things. So our friends here are taught of the Lord to be diligent, serving him; and who come into the life the scriptures were given forth from, are given up to serve the Lord; and of this I have in all your consciences a witness. So if thou open the prison door, we shall not stay there. If thou send a liberate, and set us free, we shall not stay in prison for Israel is to go out free, whose freedom is purchased by the power of God, and the blood of Jesus. But who goeth out of the power of God, loseth his free

dom.'

The 13th of the 6th month, 1656.

George Fox, and the rest who are
Sufferers for the Truth in
Launceston Jail.

After this major Desborow came to the Castle-green, and there played at bowls with the justices and others. And several friends were moved to go to him, and admonish him and them of their spending their time so vainly; bidding them consider, that though they professed themselves to be Christians, yet they gave themselves up to their pleasures, and kept the servants of God meanwhile in prison; and told them, the Lord would plead with them, and visit them for such things. But notwithstanding what was writ or said unto him, he went away, and left us in prison: yet we understood afterwards, that he left the business to colonel Bennet, who had the command of the jail. For sometime after Bennet would have set us at liberty, if we would have paid his jailer's fees; but we told him we could give the jailer no fees, for we were innocent sufferers: and how could they expect fees of us, who had suffered so long wrongfully. After a while this colonel Bennet coming to town, sent for us to an inn, and insisted again upon fees, which we refused; and at last the power of the Lord came so over him, that he freely set us at liberty. It was on the 13th day of the seventh month, 1656, that we were set at liberty; and we had been prisoners nine weeks at the first assize, called the Lent-assize, which was in the spring of the year.

Observing, while I was here a prisoner, how much the people (they especially who were called the gentry) were

addicted and given to pleasures and vain recreations, I was moved, before I left the place to give forth several papers as a warning unto them, and unto all that so mis-spend their time. One of which was thus directed:

This is to go abroad among them who are given to pleasures and wantonness.

Sodom and Gomorrah their sins were pride, fulness of bread and abundance of idleness; whose filthy conversation vexed the righteous soul of the just Lot day by day, and would not take warning: on whom God sent fire, and turned them into ashes. And in spiritual Sodom and Égypt was our Lord Jesus Christ crucified; and it is written, "The people sate down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play with whom God was not well pleased; and there fell three and twenty thousand in one day." These the apostle commanded the saints that they should not follow; for these things happened to them for examples, and are written for our admonition. And God spared not the old world; but reserving Noah, a preacher of righteousness, brought the flood upon the world of the ungodly, making them an example to all that after should live ungodly. Mark, ye ungodly ones, who are as natural brute beasts, who speak great swelling words of vanity, alluring through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day-time, sporting yourselves with your own deceivings; ye shall receive the reward of unrighteousness. Ye are as dogs and swine turned to the vomit, and wallowing in the mire, speaking evil of things that ye know not; and unless ye repent, ye shall utterly perish in your own corruptions. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter: ye have condemned and killed the just, and he doth not resist you. Go to, weep and howl for the misery that is coming upon you; and she that liveth in pleasures, is dead while she liveth. God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, making them an example to all those that after should live ungodly, in the wicked, filthy conversation: mark, here is your example. Hear this, ye that are given to pleasures, and read your examples.'

G. F.

Another paper, upon my taking notice of the bowlers that came to sport themselves in the Castle-green, was as followeth :

'The word of the Lord to all you vain and idle-minded people, who are lovers of sports, pleasures, and foolish exercises, and recreations, as you call them; consider of your ways, what it is you are doing. Was this the end of your creation? Did God make all things for you, and you to serve your lusts and pleasures? Did not the Lord make all things for you, and you for himself, to fear and worship him in spirit and in truth, in righteousness and true holiness? But where is your service of God, so long as your hearts run after lusts and pleasures? Ye cannot serve God, and the foolish pleasures of the world, as bowling, drinking, hunting, hawking, and the like: if these have your hearts, God will not have your lips: consider, for it is true. Therefore from the Lord must you all witness woe and misery, tribulation and wrath, who continue in the love and practice of your vain sports, lusts and pleasures. Now is the day, when all every-where are exhorted to repentance: O foolish people, wicked and slow of heart to believe the threatenings of the great Jehovah against the wicked! What will you do in the day of the Lord's fierce wrath, that makes haste to come upon the world of ungodly men! And what good have your foolish sports and delights done you now they are past? Or what good will they do you, when the Lord calls for your souls? Therefore all now awake from sleep, and see where you are and let the light of Jesus Christ, that shines in every one of your consciences, search you thoroughly; and it will let you clearly see, for all your profession of God, Christ and the scriptures, you are ignorant of them, and enemies to them all, and your own souls also: and being found living in pleasures, you are dead while you live. And therefore doth the Lord by many messengers forewarn you, and calls you to repentance and deep humiliation, that you may forsake the evil of your doings, and so own this day of your visitation, and while you have time to prize it; lest the things which belong to your peace be hid from your eyes, for your disobedience and rebellion against the Holy One; and then had it been good that you never had been born. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand: again I say, repent!'

Given forth in Launceston Jail in Cornwall.

To the Bowlers in the Green.

.

Being released, we got horses, and rode up into the country towards Humphry Lower's, and met him upon the road coming towards us. He told us he was much troubled in his mind concerning us, and could not rest at home, but was going to colonel Bennet to seek our liberty. But when we told him we were set at liberty, and were going to his house, he was exceeding glad. So to his house we went; and there we had a fine, precious meeting; and many were convinced, and turned by the Spirit of the Lord to the Lord Jesus Christ's teaching.

From his house we went to Loveday Hambley's, where also we had a fine large meeting: and the Lord's power was over all, and many were convinced there also, and turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, their teacher.

After we had tarried there two or three days, we came to Thomas Mounce's, where we had a general meeting for. the whole county, which, being very large, was held in his orchard. Friends from Plymouth were there, and from many places; and the Lord's power was over all; and a great convincement there was in many places of the county. And all their watches were down in all those countries; and all was plain and open; for the Lord had let ne see, before I was set at liberty, that he would make all the country plain before us. Now Thomas and Ann Curtis, with another, an alderman of Reading, who was convinced, had come to Launceston to see us while I was a prisoner, and when Ann, and the other man returned, Thomas Curtis, staid behind in Cornwall, and did good service for the Lord there at that time.

From Thomas Mounce's we passed to Launceston again, and visited that little remnant of friends that had been raised up there while we were there in prison; and the Lord's plants grew finely, and were established on Christ, their rock and foundation. As we were going out of town again, the constable of Launceston came running to us with the cheese that had been taken from Edward Pyot; which they had kept from us all this while, and were tormented with it. But we, being now set at liberty, would not receive it.

From Launceston we came to Okington, and lay at an inn, which the mayor of the town kept. He had stopped and taken up several friends, but was very civil to us, and was. convinced in his judgment.

From thence we came through the countries to Exeter, where many friends were in prison; and amongst the rest James Nayler. For a little before the time that we were set at liberty, James run out into imaginations, and a com

:

pany with him; and they raised up a great darkness in the nation. And he came to Bristol, and made a disturbance there and from thence he was coming to Launceston to see me, but was stopped by the way and imprisoned at Exeter; as were also several others that were coming to see me; one of whom, an honest, tender man, died in prison there, whose blood lieth on the heads of his persecutors.

That night that we came to Exeter I spake with James Nayler; for I saw he was out, and wrong; and so was his company. The next day, being the first-day of the week, we went to the prison to visit the prisoners, and had a meeting with them in the prison; but James Nayler, and some of them could not stay the meeting. There came a corporal of horse into the meeting, and was convinced, and remained a very good friend. The next day I spake to James Nayler again; and he slighted what I said, and was dark, and much out; yet he would have come and kissed me. But I said, since he had turned against the power of God, I could not receive his shew of kindness: so the Lord God moved me to slight him, and to set the power of God over him. So after I had been warring with the world, there was now a wicked spirit risen up amongst friends to war against: and I admonished him and his company. And when he was come to London, his resisting the power of God in me, and the truth that was declared to him by me, became one of his greatest burdens: but he came to see his out-going, and to condemn it; and after some time he returned to truth again, as in the printed relation of his repentance, condemnation, and recovery, may be more fully seen.

We passed from Exeter through Collumpton and Taunton, visiting friends, and had meetings amongst them, and declared the word of life unto them. And from thence we came to Puddimore, to William Beaton's; and on the firstday we had a very large meeting there: for a great convincement there was all up and down that country, and many meetings we had, and the Lord's power was over all; and many were turned by the power and Spirit of God to the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for them, and they came to sit under his free teaching.

From thence we went to John Dandy's, where we had another precious meeting; and the Lord's power was over all, and many were convinced of God's eternal truth. Some contention was raised by professors and baptists in some places, but the Lord's power came over them. From thence we came to Edward Pyot's house near Bristol. It was the seventh-day at night that we came thither; and it

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